Thursday, January 18, 2024
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Dear Pat and Family,
Words cannot adequately convey the depth of our sadness and sorrow upon hearing of David's untimely and sudden passing. Thank you for allowing us to express these feelings in person during our recent visit.
You and David are among our oldest and most cherished friends and there will be no replacing the good times that we have experienced together over the last three decades.
Susan and I can recall dozens and dozens of scrumptious lunches and dinners with you and David. The two of you were such awesome chefs and entertainers that you should have had your own TV show or restaurant. I could dive into one of Dave's French Onion Soup creations right now just thinking about it.
We have so many memories of good times together that it would take all day just to reflect on the most memorable ones. But if I had to chose just one anecdote, it would be the time that the four of us and Jan and Curlie Willoughby travelled to the Inn at Severn Bridge to usher in the new Millennium and the year 2000.
Because it was an event that could only be celebrated once every thousand years, we decided to go all out. I remember David even dressed in a tuxedo for the occasion. Evidently I had impressed the five of you enough with my Yuppie speak wine knowledge that you trusted me to make the selections for the entire holiday celebration. We had set a ridiculously high budget number – four figures I think – and I spent countless hours thumbing through Wine Spectator and even made a trip to Buffalo to import special vintages not available at the LCBO. There were Dom Perignons, Nuit St. George burgundies, Premier Cru Bordeaux and Silver Oaks' and Heitz's from California to name a few that I can remember.
When we arrived at our destination, we settled into our rooms and when we convened for a pre-dinner bottle of champagne some one remarked “Which one of Don's selections should we open first.”
“I'll just go down to the car and bring it all up” I said. I opened the trunk and my heart sank into my shoes. The wine was still on the floor of my garage 300 miles away. My first thought was to just get it over with by diving into the ice-covered nearby Severn River. “No, I'll just have to face them like a man” I said to myself.
The reaction was such that it cannot be printed herein, nor could it be shared with PG13 audiences. We celebrated with the House Wines – I think we could chose between Bright's Claret and London Wineries Old Port or Old Sherry.
But we had a rip-roaring time nevertheless as the attached picture will demonstrate. Incidentally, I still have not heard one “I forgive you” and it is now twenty-four years in the past. Don't you all know that to forgive is divine?
Sorry to ramble on Pat but it's a story worth the retelling and if nothing else, it hopefully allows us to smile a little bit in our sadness.
And smiling is something that we will all have to try and do as we navigate the future without him.
We are so very sorry for your loss.
Don and Susan Clarkson
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